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What if I don’t have something to write about?

By Sara Nolan | October 2, 2019 | 0
Filed Under: Essays, Solutions, Uncategorized, Writing Tips
Something or anything

This is a thing I hear a lot: I don’t have something to write about. Franklyn said it. Erin said it. Fatou said it. You might have said it. It’s not true. And your admissions essay writing process should prove that to you. Are your cells not dividing, just because you can’t see it happening […] Contiune Reading

Mix It Up

By Sara Nolan | September 15, 2019 | 0
Filed Under: Parents, Stories, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Writing Tips
Mix it up, write well

My son Ro, who is four, just started in a soccer league. Four year-olds don’t know attention is a thing that can have a span– their coaches have to mix it up to keep them engaged. When their sweet Coach N explained, “Now I am a shark, and you are fish crossing my ocean, and […] Contiune Reading

Student as Teacher

By Sara Nolan | August 28, 2019 | 0
Filed Under: Essays, State of Mind, Students, Uncategorized

Or to Flip a Buddhist proverb: When the Teacher is Ready, The Student Appears! There is a cliche teachers bandy about that “our students are our teachers!” But sometimes, it’s true, not just a broadly applied worldview or something we say at Happy Hour over seltzers to redeem a tough week. This summer, I got […] Contiune Reading

Family Illness as Essay Topic

By Sara Nolan | June 19, 2019 | 0
Filed Under: Essays, Integrity, State of Mind, Uncategorized, Writing Tips

There is a myth that if you haven’t faced adverse experiences like family illness, you can’t write a great college essay. That’s BS.


You can write a great (college) essay on literally anything (and I rarely use the word “literally”). But at its center, the essay is about you. Everything else is a window to you.
There is another equally problematic myth that if you’ve faced a family illness, that’s automatically great topic for your essay. It might be. It might not be.

Contiune Reading

When (and Why) You Should Throw Out Your College Essay

By Sara Nolan | May 31, 2019 | 0
Filed Under: Revising, Solutions, State of Mind, Uncategorized
throw out the worry with the essay

One of the biggest issues I see in student writers is reluctance to throw out a college essay (or frankly any piece of writing) that isn’t working. But this is one of the most liberating and helpful things you can do.

Contiune Reading

Before you write your college essay on video games

By Sara Nolan | May 22, 2019 | 2
Filed Under: Essays, Prompts, Revising, Students, Uncategorized, Writing Tips
don't write your college essay about video games

Every year, I see a whole bunch of well-meaning students who want to write their college application essays about playing video games, their talent, bliss, hard-earned improvement over time, frustrations when they just can’t beat XYZ and– PSA, please rethink this college essay topic choice, friends. Maybe the topic feels oh-so-right to you, and you’re […] Contiune Reading

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